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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. date — the fruit
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. saw — the tool
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mark — a trace
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. toast — bread
  17. mark — a grade
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. foot — a measure
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. craft — boats
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. craft — a skill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com